Montana, 2001

Heavy Snow in Montana, December 12 to 14, 2001

December 12 to 14, 2001 · NWS MSO · 5 events in 5 counties and zones

Major winter storm hit northwest and west central Montana for two days bringing strong gusty winds between 40 to 50 mph and heavy snowfall to the region. Snowfall ranged from six inches in the valleys of northwest Montana to one to two feet in the mountains.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 5 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
5

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS MSO wrote it up.

Major winter storm hit northwest and west central Montana for two days bringing strong gusty winds between 40 to 50 mph and heavy snowfall to the region. Snowfall ranged from six inches in the valleys of northwest Montana to one to two feet in the mountains. Some of the highest amounts in the mountains were 27 inches at Flattop Mountain, 26 inches at Hoodoo Basin, 23 inches at Lolo Pass, and 29 inches at Twin Lakes.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

5 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Kootenai/Cabinet Region

When
December 12, 4:00 PM MST to December 14, 6:00 PM MST
Where
Kootenai/Cabinet Region forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
48.171, -114.863 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Bitterroot / Sapphire Mountains

When
December 12, 4:00 PM MST to December 14, 6:00 PM MST
Where
Bitterroot / Sapphire Mountains forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
46.508, -113.828 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Blackfoot Region

When
December 12, 4:00 PM MST to December 14, 6:00 PM MST
Where
Blackfoot Region forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
46.986, -113.597 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Lower Clark Fork Region

When
December 12, 4:00 PM MST to December 14, 6:00 PM MST
Where
Lower Clark Fork Region forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
47.286, -114.685 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, West Glacier Region

When
December 12, 4:00 PM MST to December 14, 6:00 PM MST
Where
West Glacier Region forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
47.971, -114.069 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Heavy Snow
Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Montana in 2001Every state in 2001This day in weather historyWarnings in Montana, December 2001

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5274521, 5274522, 5274523, 5274524, 5274525.